Low-power voltage reference

Abstract

A circuit provides a voltage reference using very low power. It can also be used as a shut regulator for a quiescent current as low as 1.5 μA. It includes a transconductance amplifier, a gain stage, and a power transistor. One embodiment of this invention utilizes a work function difference between p+ gate and n+ gate to generate a predetermined reference voltage. In another embodiment of this invention, the predetermined reference voltage can be pre-adjusted using gate materials with different work functions.

Description

FIELD OF INVENTION[0001]The invention relates to a voltage reference circuit consuming very low power, and more particularly, relates to a reference voltage generator that can operate under very low current supply and simultaneously keep its output voltage constant over variable temperatures.BACKGROUND INFORMATION[0002]Nowadays, many electronic devices are built by connecting together electrical components, ranging from a few electrical components in simple circuits to millions of them in complex circuits. Low power consumption has become one of the main issues in the electronics industry for many product areas such as cellular phones, biomedical implants, digital watches, calculators, tape players, portable computers, LCD driver circuits, in short, all types of portable and battery powered electronic devices.[0003]For example, along with the recent increase in the popularity of portable equipment, the requests for large-scale integrated (LSI) devices performing battery operations a...

AI Technical Summary

Benefits of technology

The solution enables a low-power consumption reference voltage generator that maintains a stable output voltage over a wide range of temperatures, suitable for battery-operated devices by utilizing the work function difference between polysilicon gate terminals to reduce power consumption.

Problems solved by technology

Low power consumption has become one of the main issues in the electronics industry for many product areas such as cellular phones, biomedical implants, digital watches, calculators, tape players, portable computers, LCD driver circuits, in short, all types of portable and battery powered electronic devices.

Many traditional reference voltage circuits cannot meet this low voltage reference requirement.

In some other reference circuits, such as the bandgap reference voltage generator shown in U.S. Pat. No. 4,628,248 by Birrittella et al, the current needed to activate the reference voltage generator results in high power consumption, due to use of bipolar transistors, e.g., IB and VBE.

The bandgap reference voltage generator has the disadvantage of high power consumption.

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